The influence of a grandfather's disease process and death on the formation of personal identity in a granddaughter

Grandparent Visitation Rights in Spain: Which Psychosocial Arguments are Taken into Account to Grant or Deny Visits?

The purpose of this study was to assess reports by psychologists and social workers in lawsuits regarding grandparent visitation rights in Barcelona (Spain). Seventy-three reports written during a five-year period were analysed Sixty-three per cent of cases recommended grandparents being granted visitation rights. A content analysis of the reports revealed that they were more likely to contain negative rather than positive comments about a family member (especially grandparents). Finally, the analysis showed that aspects such as grandparent abilities and a hidden agenda on the part of grandparents were associated with a recommendation that a visitation schedule be denied, whereas the presence of a strong bond between grandparents and the grandchild was related to a favourable recommendation. The article discusses directions for further research and the potential value of drawing up guidelines to assess grandparent rights in the event of family conflict.

Grandfather Involvement and aging men's mental health

The mental health of aging men is an understudied social issue. Although it is widely accepted that meaningful family relationships are associated with fewer depressive symptoms and greater positive affect, scholars have largely overlooked relationships between grandfathers and grandchildren as being beneficial to men's mental health. This study investigates the differences in the depressive symptoms and positive affect of 351 grandfathers. Using a cluster analytic technique, participants were categorized as involved, passive, and disengaged based on their frequency of contact, level of commitment, and participation in activities with grandchildren. Comparative analyses indicate that involved grandfathers had fewer depressive symptoms than disengaged grandfathers. Involved grandfathers had significantly higher scores on positive affect than disengaged grandfathers, and passive grandfathers had significantly higher scores on positive affect than disengaged grandfathers. This study provides evidence that grandfather-grandchild relationships influence aging men's mental health. Implications for practitioners working with aging men are discussed.